Nokoru's secret
by Jared
Summary: What if Nokoru is not who he seems? Awaiting him is one of the greatest trials in his life- a quest that he has to make. When he bites off more than he can chew, can Suoh save him? *Summary changed, story unchanged*
1. Nokoru's secret

Nokoru's secret  
By Jared  
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Disclaimer: The following characters belong to CLAMP and are borrowed for this fanfic.  
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Nokoru bit his lip and tried to stifle his cry of pain. As the pain shot through his entire body, a menacing voice asked, "Are you going to give it to me?"  
  
Nokoru cringed as the pain intensified. He writhed in pain, the pain so great that he could not trust himself to speak. The light from the man's fingers paused, giving him a chance to catch his breath before replying. At the same time, the circlets of light around Nokoru's wrists and ankles that kept him suspended in mid-air vanished, causing him to land on the ground with a thud.  
  
"..I…I…" gasped Nokoru.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"…would…"  
  
"Yes?" the man urged.  
  
"NEVER GIVE IT TO YOU!" Nokoru shouted out, bracing himself for the pain he knew he would have to endure for his answer.  
  
The man's face was a manifestation of utter evil and anger. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, all traces of emotion drained from his face. In a tone void of emotion, Tereka said, "We'll continue tomorrow. "Turning slightly towards the door, Tereka barked "Dyon!"  
  
Instantly, the huge stout wooden door was thrown open and light filtered into the dimly lit cell where Nokoru was kept captive. A young man stepped through the doorway. He was small, no more than a metre and a half.   
  
"You called, Sir?" His tone was respectful.  
  
"We're done for the day," replied Tereka. "Make sure he's…comfortable."   
  
"Very well, sir." Dyon responded. Tereka spun on his heel and marched out of the cell, leaving Dyon alone with Nokoru.  
  
"Well now, sir," Dyon said in mock courtesy. "Let's get you comfortable now, shall we?" He added with irony heavy in his voice, his greenish-black eyes glittering evilly…  
*****  
"Well now, we'll meet again later…at meal time. Enjoy yourself, sir." Dyon aimed a kick at the motionless body on the ground, straining his ears for the muffled moan.   
  
The door clicked shut and the rattling of keys could be heard. Silence resumed in the now darkened cell.  
  
Nokoru's inert body lay sprawled on the cold, hard floor of the cell. His wrists and ankles hurt where the coarse rope bit painfully into them, his face telling the tale of the brutal blows that had rained upon him after he had been bound. A dirty rag had been forcefully stuffed into his mouth to serve as a gag, and his mouth felt horribly dry. A strip of cloth had been drawn over his eyes before being pulled tightly into a knot at the back of his head. Every muscle, every bone was screaming in pain.   
  
Suoh, where are you? Nokoru cried out mentally, tears forming in his eyes before exhaustion overwhelmed him and took him into the merciful dark.  
*****  
"It can't be… He ought to have agreed by now. It's impossible that he can hold out much longer. There has to be a way to 'persuade' him to give in…. Wait, that's it! The boys…They're the key…"  
  
Tereka's frustration changed into exhilaration as he began to hatch his plot.  
*****  
"Takamura-senpai…has there been any news?" Akira asked timidly as he handed Suoh Takamura a cup of steaming tea.  
  
Suoh shook his head. There were dark circles beneath his eyes, and his usually stern face was worn with a mixture of frustration and despair. Kaichou, where are you? It's all my fault. I should never have left you alone. Guilt overcame him as he remembered how Nokoru had disappeared.  
*****  
"Suoh, are you hungry?" Nokoru asked innocently from behind the tower of paperwork.  
  
"No Kaichou, it's not lunchtime, and we are not taking a break until you finish all that paperwork."  
  
"But Suoh, it's such a nice day out. And it's nearly time for lunch…"Nokoru protested, the plea clear in his voice.   
  
"Kaichou, you just had breakfast. And there's still three hours to lunch!"  
  
Nokoru thought for a while. "I'll just go for a walk, and …"  
  
"You'll do no such thing. Please concentrate Kaichou. You can finish it before lunch and have the rest of the day off."Nokoru's plea was clear in his eyes. Suoh sighed. He glanced at his watch.  
  
Nokoru hid the smile that was tugging at his mouth behind his fan. "Come on, Suoh. We'll just go visit Akira for a while. He must be feeling very miserable. In bed, all alone…"  
  
"Let's go then," Suoh realised that Nokoru was not going to get any work done unless he consented. "But only for a while, Kaichou."   
*****  
The men had gathered in a circle around Nokoru. There's far too many of them! Suoh realised how delicate their situation was. But there was no way he was going to show his feelings to either Nokoru or those men. Suoh pushed Nokoru behind him and prepared for battle.  
  
"If you won't come peacefully, then you leave us with no choice." The men brandished their guns.  
  
Suddenly, Nokoru moved out from behind Suoh. "No!" he said. "I'll come with you. Put those guns away."  
  
The men made no move to do so, continuing to eye both boys with carefully.  
  
Suoh, on the other hand, moved swiftly once again such that he was in front of Nokoru. "Kaichou…" he began.  
  
"No, I'll not have you hurt because of me."   
  
Meanwhile, one of the men pulled an object out of his jacket and threw it on the ground. Smoke enveloped both boys.When the smoke cleared, both boys were on the ground, unconscious. The men picked Nokoru up and carried him with them, leaving Suoh on the ground.  
*****  
The ringing telephone brought Suoh back to the present. He watched as Akira answered the telephone, and a flash of alarm coursed through his face as he saw the smile of his normally cheerful friend fade and colour drained from his cheeks.*****  
"Are you sure this is the place Ijyuin?" Suoh asked.  
  
"Hai senpai. The man said 42 Treswall Street. This is Treswall Street, isn't it?" Akira confirmed.  
  
"I just hope this isn't a trap. But for Kaichou's sake, I guess we don't have a choice. Come on, let's go." With that, the two entered the seemingly empty building.*****  
"I'm so glad you could join my party" a voice sneered.   
  
"Where is Kaichou?" Suoh asked boldly, while keeping his eyes shielded from the bright light trained on the both of them.  
  
"You'll see him soon enough. When I'm sure you're both not up to any tricks." With that, a huge crate like cage descended upon them, imprisoning them effectively.  
  
Tereka smiled as he pressed a button on the remote control that he cradled in the palm of his hand. That'll be enough to knock them out for a couple of hours, until we're ready, he thought with a smile.  
*****  
The door swung open. Footsteps approached the helpless captive. A rough hand reached down and heaved the boy into a sitting position by the yanking hard on the blond hair.   
  
Nokoru grimaced, but managed not to let out a moan. He felt the gag being torn off his mouth roughly, and some bread being stuffed roughly into his mouth. He choked a little, and was aware of water being poured carelessly into his mouth. The liquid dribbled down his chin and he spluttered.   
  
"You'd better eat and drink while you still have the chance." A quiet voice hissed in his ear.   
  
Nokoru shuddered a little at that warning, but made no retort. Dyon, angered by his lack of response, blurted out "Well, you'd soon be having company. I hope enjoy themselves as much as you do. Boy, they sure keep weird stuff on them. Shuriken, of all things."  
  
Nokoru stiffened slightly. Shuriken? No, not Suoh and Akira.  
  
"And the three CLAMP Campus detectives together. My, what an honour." continued Dyon, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I wonder how they are doing. Hmm, with luck, they ought to have a few broken bones by now." Dyon baited.   
The anticipated reaction came. "I hope you haven't done anything to them. Let them go. They have nothing to do with this. You won't stand to gain by keeping them here."   
  
A cruel smile tugged at the corners of Dyon's mouth. This is just what I expected. Now I can have an excuse to try out my new cattle prod. Aloud he said, "You are in no position to make demands like that. Why you insolent creature. I'll show you." He aimed a kick at Nokoru, who tried to dodge. The ropes held fast and he was unable to move more than an inch in either direction. Smiling cruelly, Dyon reached out and turned the knob of the cattle prod, applying it directly to Nokoru's bare arm.  
  
The cry echoed through the cell…  
*****  
"Dyon!" chided Tereka. "Imonoyama-san is here as a guest. At least, he will be if he agrees to my request. I presume the 'persuasion' attempt failed. No matter. I have with me my new trump cards. They are just down the hallway. Come, let's go over and say hello, shall we?"  
***** Nokoru tried to walk down the hallway. But he had been tied up for so long that his legs were numb and could not walk unaided. He was only half-conscious and was barely aware of the journey down the hallway. The two men supporting him had to half-drag him along.   
  
Suddenly, he felt himself being thrown roughly on the floor. Then, he heard a familiar voice talking to him.   
  
"Kaichou! Are you all right? Kaichou!"  
  
"Suoh?" he managed to mutter, and lifted his head a couple of inches above the floor. Suoh and Akira were chained to the wall, but otherwise looked in good health.  
  
"Now, give me what I want or your friends will have to suffer for your obstinacy."   
  
"Kaichou, don't listen to him. I rather die than be a pawn to hurt you."  
  
"Takamura-senpai is right. Kaichou, whatever he wants, don't agree to it."  
  
"Silence!" thundered Tereka. "You'll pay for that, the both of you." Turning to Nokoru, he said, "I'll ignore that if you just would pledge yourself to me. Well?"  
  
Seeing the look on Nokoru's face, he said, "there's no room for an agreement I see. Well, then there's no point sparing those two." He raised his hand and sent bolts of lightning out towards both Suoh and Akira.  
  
"No!" Nokoru yelled. "Powers of the great elements, I beseech thee, empower me. Thine power born of light, mighty phoenix ignite!" he chanted. Instantly, a golden light enveloped Nokoru, taking the glowing form of the majestic mythological bird. The wings were huge, the wingspan so large that it seemed to fill the entire room. The bolts of lightning disappeared along with the light that came along with the bird, as though they had been nothing more than a hologram.  
  
"Kaichou…" Nokoru turned and saw that both Suoh and Akira were speechless.   
  
"Excellent! Now that you have used your power before the assigned time, you will be punished severely by the board. Join us, and we and those of the dark will help you fight against the board. There is no turning back for you. Join us."   
  
"I pledged myself to the light. Never will I cross over to the dark. Even if I get punished, I would rather accept punishment than join you!" Nokoru retorted.  
  
"Then I suppose you leave me with no choice. We'll just need to defeat you and absorb all your powers. Now that you've broken the rules the board has set, you're no longer one of the guardians of Zayon. Your protective barrier has been broken, and you're now more vulnerable to our powers than before! "  
  
Nokoru raised his head. The large bird seemed to have swallowed him up in the brilliant light. In a way, Nokoru was the bird. He stayed suspended in mid-air, in the very middle of the large bird, whose head nearly touched the ceiling. The bird threw its majestic head back and let loose a loud screech. The light around Nokoru grew brighter as the bird stretched its wings to their fullest, preparing for battle.  
  
"I summon thee, guardian of the darkest night. Bring forth the power of eternal night!" Tereka screamed, as a huge serpent began to take form around him. Just as Nokoru and the phoenix had combined to become one entity, the serpent had merged with Tereka. Tereka, in some mysterious way, had bonded with the serpent to become a part of the serpent itself.   
  
Suoh and Akira watched on helplessly as the serpent launched its attack on the phoenix. The powerful coils wrapped itself around its large prey, first tying up one wing with its strong coils before attempting to ensnare the other. The bird let out a screech of pain. It opened its powerful beak and a ball of light gathered. It shot the light at the dark serpent.   
  
The serpent writhed in pain as the light touched its scaly skin. It relaxed its hold on the huge bird. With tremendous effort, the bird wrenched itself free from the serpent, dodging another attempt of the serpent to coil around its vulnerable throat. Where the coils had squeezed, the feathers were covered with a silvery liquid, which dripped on the hard concrete floor of the cell. The serpent put out its forked tongue, and eagerly ran its tongue over the liquid.  
  
It's blood! Suoh realised. Kaichou must be hurt. I've got to help him somehow… He began to struggle against the chains that held him immobile. Darn these things, he thought.  
  
Suddenly, he heard Akira gasp. He turned his attention back to the battle, and realised that once more, the serpent had managed to twine itself around one of the legs of the phoenix, and this time, reared its ugly head back before revealing sharp poisonous fangs.   
  
Frantically, the phoenix lowered its head, attempting to loosen its grip on its leg once more. However, the fangs sunk deep into the leg. The phoenix let out a cry of pain before falling onto the ground.   
  
As soon as they touched the ground, the phoenix disappeared. Nokoru lay there, unconscious. Tereka transformed back to himself. "Now," he said, licking his lips eagerly, "I shall have all the power you possess."  
  
"No, leave him alone." Suoh shouted, struggling frantically against his bonds. "Leave him alone."  
  
Tereka ignored him. He reached out and gripped Nokoru's shoulder roughly. The serpent had appeared again, and once more the bright light appeared. This time, however, the light surrounded Tereka. "At last, it's mine. This power… Mine at last." He laughed hysterically.  
  
Suddenly, he let out a yell. "What's happening? What's going on? This can't be…" his voice began to fade. Suoh watched in amazement as Tereka began to fade away and the light began to return to Nokoru, taking form once again as the phoenix.   
  
"No…." he cried, his voice fading away along with the rest of him.   
  
"They're fading away…" Suoh heard Akira's voice express the amazement he felt as they watched their guards fade away along with Tereka. The cell disappeared, and all that was left of the room was the discoloured walls and depilated roof. He felt the chains around his limbs slacken, and noticed that like everything else, they too were fading away. He landed on the ground with hardly a sound, hearing Akira land quietly beside him. Instantaneously, they both rushed to Nokoru's side.  
  
"Kaichou, wake up…Kaichou…Kaichou…" Both boys tried without avail to rouse Nokoru. Suoh reached down and felt for a pulse. To his immense relief, a steady pulse throbbed under his fingers. "Let's get out of here." He said as he heaved the limp Nokoru over his shoulder and moved swiftly over to the door, flung it open and proceeded back in the direction of CLAMP school.  
*****  
"Suoh, Akira…you're…fine." Nokoru said hesitantly as he tried to sit up. He winced a little as the action made the pain course through his body.  
  
"Kaichou, you should rest." Suoh chided as he reached forward to arrange the pillows behind Nokoru to allow him to sit more comfortably.   
  
Nokoru looked at the two opposite him and said, "I'm sorry. I never should have hidden it from the both of you. I guess you hate me for that." He looked away.  
  
"Kaichou, don't be silly. It doesn't matter to us whether or not you're different. You're you. The one that I have chosen to protect, the one that I will follow, always." Suoh said gently.  
  
Akira nodded in agreement.  
  
"Um…Kaichou…"Akira asked timidly.  
  
"What is it Akira?"  
  
"What happened exactly?"  
  
"Ijyuin…" Suoh chided.  
  
Nokoru waved a hand dismissively. "I'm one of the guardians of light. Basically, it means that I've been selected to help maintain the balance between good and evil. When Tereka tried to absorb my powers from me, he could not control them. It turned against him and sucked his power and life force from him instead. Without a host, the phoenix cannot survive. So it returned to me. "  
  
"If Tereka had successfully absorbed all your powers, would the reverse have happened? Would you have vanished?" Suoh pressed.  
  
Nokoru avoided the question. "Akira, what's wrong? You look like you have a lot on your mind."  
  
"Um… Kaichou…Can I ask another question?"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Can I have one of your feathers?"  
  
"Well, I'm not really supposed to change in front of others, or let them know about the phoenix…but yeah, I guess. Why?"  
  
"Well…"Akira blushed. "I was just thinking…It glows in the dark…and …. I was wondering… if I can use it to… to… "  
  
"Yes?" prompted Nokoru.  
  
"To… stick on the ceiling as a light." Akira concluded, his face flaming red.  
  
Nokoru flicked his fan open and hid his smile behind it. Suoh turned away and suddenly began coughing.   
  
"Here Akira." Nokoru handed a glowing plume to Akira. "Do you need one too Suoh?" he asked innocently, masking his smile.  
  
"Well Kaichou… I have to say, though a feather would be nice, I have a little favour to ask from you. I'm sure you can manage it easily."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Do I take that as a yes?"  
  
"Oh, all right. I'll agree to it. What is it that you want?"  
  
"Finish your paperwork!" 


	2. The Union

The Union  
Posted by Jared  
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Disclaimer:  
The Characters below belong to CLAMP and are borrowed for entertainment purposes only.   
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[You are the chosen one. You who bear the everlasting light shall have to become one with the one that does not exist, and from the union of light and confusion the miracle shall be born. ] The words echoed in Nokoru's head as he awoke from his receding dream. The voice was not unfamiliar.[ It's almost as if I've heard it before… ] Nokoru racked his brains for the person who possessed the sweet voice that had filtered through his dream.   
  
A trill of song woke him from his daze.[Oh no, Suoh's going to kill me ] Nokoru thought as he dashed about his room frantically, toothbrush in one hand, shirt in the other. With one arm dangling from his shirt sleeve, Nokoru hastily brushed his teeth with the other. Then, he changed out of his pyjamas, and tugged his uniform on in record time. He raced down the corridor to the dining hall, where toast and eggs sat on a low table waiting for him.   
  
Nokoru seated himself down at the empty table. A part of him longed for his family to even eat at the same table as him, but he knew that all the Imonoyamas, due to their brilliance, had hectic schedules and could not find time for their family outside work. [Oh no, what am I thinking about this for? I'm so late already! ]Gulping his breakfast down, the boy grabbed his satchel and dashed out of the door.  
****  
"Um…"  
  
Suoh looked up as yet the short dark-haired student approached. [Where are you Kaichou?]Suoh cried inwardly as he braced himself for the question yet once more.  
  
"Takamura senpai, should we continue to wait for Kaichou? It's almost time for the festival. And the parade has been scheduled to start in another five minutes and we are already running behind schedule." Akira asked timidly.  
  
Consulting his watch, Suoh replied, "Well, I suppose we ought to get going now. I don't think Kaichou…" Suoh stopped in mid-sentence as the doors to the student council room were flung open and the final member of the Elementary Student Council and CLAMP Campus detectives skidded to a halt.  
  
"Kaichou, look out!" Suoh yelled in alarm as Nokoru tried to avoid a collision with the towering stacks of undone paperwork piled up on the floor. Swiftly, he leapt over the table, and grabbing the blond around his wrist, managed to swing the boy around in a circle, allowing him to come to a stop safely.  
  
"T..Th..anks…S…uoh.." Nokoru gasped as he flashed a grateful smile to his bodyguard, his lean chest heaving with exertion from the sprint he had just taken from home.   
  
"Takamura senpai is so wonderful!" Akira trilled as he jumped up and down clapping his hands gleefully. Suoh sweat-dropped.  
  
Nokoru was aware of Akira's concerned expression, and by sheer will managed to regulate his breathing and stood up tall, flipping his fan open with a flick of his wrist. "Time is precious" was written on the fan in a purplish- blue ink. "So, let's get going." He said as he sauntered out of the door. The other two glanced at each other before trailing their leader.  
****  
[You must remember your task. Do not forget your purpose…]The voice echoed softly in the dark night sky. Nokoru opened his eyes wearily.[This voice…what is it trying to tell me?]Pain clouded his senses as he fell back into the waiting darkness.  
****  
"Kaichou, are you okay? You're looking a little pale." Suoh was concerned.  
  
"Yup, it's fine. Just didn't sleep too well last night. It's nothing. Don't worry Suoh."  
  
"Kaichou, I made some tea. Here, it'll make you feel better." Akira offered the steaming cup to the blond.   
  
"Thanks Akira." Nokoru said and smiled. "No one makes tea like Akira."  
  
Akira blushed as he watched Nokoru savour the tea. Suoh stood by watching, still unconvinced. "Well," he conceded, "If you're sure…"   
  
Akira left the room, knowing from experience that Nokoru would need a snack soon.  
  
Nokoru grinned as replied, "Sure I'm sure. Just as sure as I am that the paperwork can wait just one more day… The weather's perfect for a hike, or a picnic, or…" Nokoru rattled on, trying to distract his friend.  
  
"Kaichou…" Suoh began. "The paperwork has been piling up for a week now. It cannot wait for another couple of days. There's still all that planning for the upcoming ball, and the music festival, and the baseball match, and the soccer game…." Suoh droned on, sifting through papers on his own table to list out upcoming events.  
  
Nokoru flipped his fan open, hiding his wry smile.[It worked.] he thought, trying to ignore his pounding head.[I just knew the paperwork would do it… Suoh can never resist it when I talk about shelving the paperwork. With luck, I'll be able to sneak out while he's still droning on…]  
  
Nokoru crept out of the room while Suoh's back was turned. I made it? he thought in disbelief.[Well, Suoh must really be stressed not to notice.]  
  
As soon as his charge made it out of the room, the blue haired secretary turned around. [I hope the break does him good.] he thought, as Akira returned, distressed to find that his Kaichou had apparently disappeared into thin air.  
****  
[Noooo…Not the pain. Not again... ] Nokoru moaned in pain as he felt that familiar pain race through his body. He walked in a zig-zag motion, and fell to the ground in a dead faint when the stabbing pain assaulted him once more.  
****  
Suoh sensed something was wrong. He couldn't explain. He just knew instinctively that Kaichou was in trouble, and that he needed help. He sprinted out of the room without a word, much to Akira's surprise.  
  
Racing through the corridor, he leapt down the stairs, out of the door, towards the direction where he knew his charge had gone. Towards the forest, he ran, homing in on Nokoru as though he had an in-built radar. Faster and faster he ran, and seeing his young charge a little way before him, beginning to double up, walking in a zig-zag fashion, his heart almost missed a beat. His lungs were bursting, but he ran on, oblivious to the pain. He saw the blond raise both hands to his head, his fingers pressing tightly into his skull. He watched as his friend stumbled, heard the moan he let loose, and leapt forward, catching the limp figure before it hit the ground.  
  
"Kaichou! Kaichou!" Suoh could not think of anything except the boy's title. He shook the limp body again and again, trying to rouse the unconscious figure. To his horror, he saw the colour fade from the boy's cheeks, felt the warmth of the body rise to an unnatural level…  
****  
Suoh heaved a sigh of relief when the eyelids fluttered weakly. He looked on as Nokoru moaned a little, raising a hand to his temple, shaking his head a little as though trying to clear his vision. A few more blinks and a slight shift of the blond head allowed Suoh full view of the face of the one who he had sworn to protect.  
  
"Suoh." Nokoru said simply when he noticed his bodyguard and friend watching him anxiously. He struggled to raise himself enough to sit up, but he fell back weakly against his pillows almost at once. Once more he tried, only to have the performance repeated.  
  
"Here, let me help." Suoh leaned forward and gently raised the other, propping him up against the wall.[He's so frail...] Suoh suddenly realised when Nokoru just lay still, allowing him to move him about as though he had been no more than a rag doll.  
  
Nokoru gave a smile of thanks. His face was worn and pale, and his blue eyes lacked their usual shine.[He's keeping that farce for me] Suoh realised, his sharp eyes noting the strain that Nokoru was under to act as though everything was normal. [He doesn't want me to worry!]  
  
"…careless as usual. Lucky for me you were there." Nokoru finished with a smile.   
  
"Wha…"   
  
"Suoh, you weren't listening." Nokoru chided gently.   
  
"I'm sorry." Suoh apologised, immediately contrite. "You were saying?"  
  
Nokoru couldn't resist the temptation to tease even in his weakened state. "You should have seen the way you looked. For an instant there, I thought I was Nagisa." The ruse worked, and Suoh flushed.  
  
"Ah, what a pity the photographic society wasn't there. The photographs would have made the news. Suoh Takamura losing his cool. The ladies would love that. I wonder what Nagisa would say though." Nokoru mused, a faint smile playing on his lips. A flick of his wrist and his fan revealed the words "Life is full of surprises".  
  
"Kaichou!" Suoh retorted in a dangerous sort of voice. His Kaichou, meanwhile, was trying to pull a straight face and putting on a look of pure innocence. Suoh felt his anger melt away.[I don't know how he manages it. He just manages to look so angelic when he's up to mischief. And I fall for it every time.]  
  
Suddenly, Nokoru began coughing. To Suoh's horror, as he handed the boy a handkerchief on the table nearby, the hand was bloodstained.  
  
"Kaichou?" Suoh asked, concerned.  
  
Nokoru gasped painfully for a while, Suoh's heart lurched and he tried to decide if the boy needed medical attention. He made up his mind, making for the door.   
  
"Wait…" Nokoru said, his voice hoarse. "Don't call the doctor." The voice was barely above a whisper.   
  
Suoh turned around reluctantly. "You need medical attention. Let me go fetch a doctor."  
  
Waving his hand dismissively, Nokoru replied, "It won't do any good. They won't know what's wrong. It's nothing they can solve. The Nothing is attacking the ones of the circle."  
  
[The Nothing? What exactly is he talking about?] Suoh thought in exasperation. He must be hallucinating.   
  
"Suoh, look at me." Unwillingly, the amber eyes fixed upon the bright blue ones. "The Nothing is the force which balances all the power of goodness and light in this world. It balances the forces by destroying, turning creation to nothing, hence its name. Twelve guardians were chosen to keep this power in check. But the last battle with Tereka tipped the balance of power to the Nothing's favour. Now, the Nothing is attacking each guardian individually. When one is destroyed, the circle will be broken. The balance shall remain no more, and everything will turn to nothing. And... and…" Nokoru hesitated.  
  
"It's starting with you." Suoh finished, his voice weak as he realised how powerless he was to protect his Kaichou.  
  
"Suoh, it's not your fault. You aren't useless. You can help me. You and Akira." Nokoru said in an attempt to cheer his friend up.[Philip, you better hurry. I can't hold on much longer.]  
  
Suoh looked sceptically at the blue depths. There was no glint of mischief there. Only pain filled those blue eyes that looked so familiar, and yet so painfully different. "What can I do?" He asked.  
  
Nokoru smiled. "Trust me. Believe in me. Be my strength. You've never failed me Suoh. Don't fail me now."  
  
Suoh nodded, tears in his eyes.[He still trusts me. He believes I can help him. I can't let him down. Not now, not ever. I have to believe…]  
  
Nokoru gave a grateful smile and leaned back against the wall. He shuddered a little, his face betraying the pain that he was enduring as the battle raged within.  
****  
Deep within Nokoru, at the very depth of his consciousness, in the cavern, a battle was raging. The mighty phoenix was struggling hard against… nothing. Its wings beat furiously against something that wasn't there. Something that sought to form a union with it through destruction. The beautiful wings were stained with the silvery blood. Its eyes were bloodshot, part of its leg seemed to have disappeared. The union had begun.  
****  
Meanwhile, far away, in another part of the world, England to be precise, Philip Lynton heard the plea that Nokoru had made. [Where are you?] He asked.   
  
[CLAMP School.] Came the answer, fainter this time.[The Nothing…]  
  
[The Nothing? I'll come over right away. Where exactly in Clamp School are you?]  
  
He waited for the answer. There was no reply…  
****  
  
"Excuse me, I was wondering if you knew where I can find…Imonoyama Nokoru?" A boy asked with a trace of a foreign accent, consulting the paper in his hand.  
  
Suoh looked at the boy suspiciously. "Kaichou is not feeling very well right now. Can I help you instead?"  
  
"I'm sorry. I'm afraid I have to insist. It's very important."  
  
"I'm afraid I have to deny that request. Kaichou really needs to rest now."  
  
Suddenly, the boy's green eyes clouded over, and in a strange, sing-song voice, the boy said "Bring me to the phoenix before it's too late. Hurry." He ordered.  
  
Suoh gasped. "You…you are one of the guardians… As Kaichou had said. Quick, this way." He said as he ran out of the Student Council room with Philip in tow.  
****  
[He's here. I can sense him. Hurry Philip.] Nokoru urged.  
****  
The doors to Nokoru's room burst open, and Philip glided swiftly over to where Nokoru lay. He took Nokoru's limp hand in his own, shut his green eyes and reached down into the cavern where the battle continued. Down, down, down…  
****  
Now, a falcon joined the phoenix in its struggle. The silvery wings enveloped the bruised golden ones protectively.[Heal] he thought, willing the wings to heal as he took the brunt of the attack from the Nothing.   
  
The golden wings restored themselves to their original state. Protected by the barrier that the silver wings formed, the phoenix sounded a cry. It was a cry that echoed long in the cavern, a cry that sounded deep in the core of the Nothing, a cry that jolted the Nothing into consciousness.   
  
Slowly, the Nothing gained form. First it was the chilling wind, then the blue sky, the blue mist, and finally the figure of a lonely girl decked in blue. [Don't be afraid] Nokoru said to her.[I'm not going to hurt you]The girl continued to back away.  
  
[Why are you doing this? Why must you destroy everything? ]he persisted. [You want to be a part of everything, and yet you want to destroy?]  
  
[No, you're wrong. I don't want to be a part of everything. I want to have supreme power. I will be the only one standing on this planet.]  
  
[And be lonely forever.] Nokoru told her calmly.[Can you take it? So what happens after you have control over all? Then what? ] He challenged.  
  
[I…I…I don't know… ]she broke down in tears, sobbing. [You don't understand. It's the only thing that I live for…the only thing that I can do. There's no one that I can truly talk to…Everything I come into contact with disappears and is absorbed by me. I don't mean it. But…I just can't help it…]  
  
Nokoru was aware of the strain that Philip was under to keep him shielded from the power of the Nothing. To his horror, sections of the falcon were already beginning to fade.  
  
[There is a way] he said.[Let ME absorb you.]  
  
[Wha…]she asked in confusion.  
  
[Don't resist. Let me absorb you into me. Become one with me, and let our powers merge. We will then be able to separate into our individual forms. You will have a form, as shall I. But I must warn you. You will lose your powers.]  
  
[I don't care. I just want to have friends. Friends that I can't hurt and make them disappear.]  
  
[Very well then. Let us begin. I call upon the power of the ancients. Come forth powers of greatness, powers that create, powers that bind. Join us both in this union where our powers combined. Let the prophesy be fulfilled, our destiny we build!]  
  
Instantly, the phoenix glowed brightly and the brilliant gold of the phoenix merged with the bright blue of the Nothing. With a screech, the phoenix extended its wings to its fullest. It moved over to the Nothing, and enveloped it with its wings. The light surrounding the two changed to that of a brilliant green. Then golden. Blue emerged, gold rose, the colour kept alternating.  
  
Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the colours stopped alternating. The gold returned, and yet the claws were now tinged with blue, as was the beak.[The transformation is complete] Nokoru realised.[She is free now.]  
  
The girl smiled as she began to fade away. [Thank you.] she said.  
****  
"Ah, Suoh." Nokoru said brightly. "Do you think it would be a good idea to go for a walk?"  
  
"Kaichou, you still have tons of paperwork to do. Please concentrate."  
  
"But Suoh, there's plenty of time."  
  
"Plenty of time? The exchange students are arriving tomorrow, and you haven't even looked through their schedule yet."  
  
"What exchange students?"  
  
"Kaichou, haven't you even looked through some of that paperwork?"  
  
"Well, no. I was busy."  
  
"Doing what? Playing again."  
  
"No, I was busy eating this time."   
  
Suoh facefaulted. Some things never change. 


End file.
